U.S. patent application number 16/679616 was filed with the patent office on 2020-04-09 for virtual carrier and virtual connection aggregation.
The applicant listed for this patent is Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Mohammadhadi Baligh, Hamidreza Farmanbar, Zhengwei Gong, Amine Maaref.
Application Number | 20200112959 16/679616 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64273397 |
Filed Date | 2020-04-09 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200112959 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gong; Zhengwei ; et
al. |
April 9, 2020 |
Virtual Carrier and Virtual Connection Aggregation
Abstract
Carrier aggregation and dual connectivity leverage multiple
component carriers to increase the effective bandwidth available to
a given UE. Embodiments of this disclosure extend the concept of
carrier aggregation and dual connectivity by using a physical
component carrier and one or more virtual component carriers from
one physical component carrier group and/or one virtual component
carrier group, which have the same carrier frequency and carrier
bandwidth as the physical component carrier, to transmit data
streams to a user equipment. Data streams communicated over the
physical component carrier and the virtual component carrier(s) may
be orthogonal in the time domain or code domain. Alternatively,
data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and
the virtual component carrier(s) may be non-orthogonal, in which
case the UE may need to decode the respective data streams using
non-orthogonal signal processing techniques.
Inventors: |
Gong; Zhengwei; (Ottawa,
CA) ; Maaref; Amine; (Ottawa, CA) ; Baligh;
Mohammadhadi; (Ottawa, CA) ; Farmanbar;
Hamidreza; (Ottawa, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. |
Shenzhen |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
64273397 |
Appl. No.: |
16/679616 |
Filed: |
November 11, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/CN2018/086714 |
May 14, 2018 |
|
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16679616 |
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62506462 |
May 15, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 27/2602 20130101;
H04W 72/042 20130101; H04L 1/1819 20130101; H04L 5/0019 20130101;
H04W 80/08 20130101; H04L 5/0094 20130101; H04L 5/0092 20130101;
H04W 76/11 20180201; H04W 72/0453 20130101; H04L 1/1822 20130101;
H04W 76/15 20180201; H04L 5/0055 20130101; H04L 27/2607 20130101;
H04L 5/001 20130101; H04W 72/0446 20130101; H04W 80/02
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 72/04 20060101
H04W072/04; H04W 80/08 20060101 H04W080/08; H04W 80/02 20060101
H04W080/02; H04W 76/11 20060101 H04W076/11; H04L 27/26 20060101
H04L027/26; H04L 5/00 20060101 H04L005/00; H04L 1/18 20060101
H04L001/18 |
Claims
1. A method for receiving data, the method comprising: receiving,
by a user equipment (UE), a first data stream over a physical
component carrier and a second data stream over a virtual component
carrier, the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier having the same carrier frequency and the same carrier
bandwidth, the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier belonging to the same component carrier group and being
assigned different carrier indices.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with a common
media access control (MAC) sublayer, a common radio link control
(RLC) sublayer, and a common packet data convergence protocol
(PDCP) sublayer.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with the same
physical cell identifier (PCI).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with the same
timing advance group (TAG).
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with the same
cyclic prefix (CP) duration.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with the same
sub-carrier spacing.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier are associated with the same
bandwidth partition.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein a frame communicated over the
physical component carrier is aligned in the time domain with a
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein subframes in the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier are aligned in the
time domain with subframes in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier, the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier carrying the same number of subframes as the
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier, wherein
pairs of subframes, transmitted over the respective physical and
virtual component carriers, that align in the time domain are
associated with the same subframe index.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of a physical
downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared
channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and a
physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame communicated
over the physical component carrier has a different duration than
corresponding one of a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a PUSCH in the
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein a last symbol of a physical
downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the frame communicated over
physical component carrier does not align in the time domain with
the last symbol of a PDCCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in
the frame communicated over the physical component carrier does not
align in the time domain with a corresponding one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a PDSCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in
the frame communicated over the physical component carrier does not
align in the time domain with a corresponding one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a PUCCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in
the frame communicated over the physical component carrier does not
align in the time domain with a corresponding one of a first symbol
and a last symbol of a PUSCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a common downlink synchronization
channel (SCH).
16. The method of claim 8, wherein the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a common physical broadcast channel
(PBCH).
17. The method of claim 8, wherein the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a common search space in a physical
downlink control channel (PDCCH).
18. The method of claim 8, wherein the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a downlink control information
(DCI) message without blind detection.
19. The method of claim 8, further comprising: decoding, by the UE,
a downlink control information (DCI) message carried by the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier, the DCI message
indicating a starting or ending symbol location for at least one of
a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink
shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH),
and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier; and determining
that the starting or ending symbol location indicated by the DCI
message carried by the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier also indicates a starting or ending symbol
location for at least one of a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a PUSCH
in the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier when
the starting or ending symbol location for a corresponding one of
the PDCCH, the PDSCH, the PUCCH, and the PUSCH in the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier has not been
configured via higher layer signaling.
20. The method of claim 8, wherein the UE does not receive an
uplink grant for resources in a physical uplink shared channel
(PUSCH) of the frame communicated over the virtual component
carrier.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical component carrier
has an associated first maximum number of HARQ processes,
independently of a number of active HARQ processes in the virtual
component carrier, and the virtual component carrier has an
associated second maximum number of HARQ processes, independently
of a number of active HARQ processes in the physical component
carrier.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a
single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) message, the PUCCH
message including at least a first HARQ feedback bit indicating
whether a codeword or code block carried by the first data stream
was successfully decoded by the UE, and at least a second HARQ
feedback bit indicating whether a codeword and/or code block
carried by the second data stream was successfully decoded by the
UE.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the total number of HARQ
feedback bits in the PUCCH message is based on a combined number of
codewords and/or code blocks carried by data streams received over
component carriers in a group of component carriers that includes
the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the total number of HARQ
feedback bits in the PUCCH message is configured via higher layer
signaling.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein the PUCCH resource is
configured by RRC signaling.
26. The method of claim 1, further comprising: descrambling a first
message carried by the first data stream according to a scrambling
identity associated with a physical cell identifier (PCI) assigned
to the physical component carrier; and descrambling a second
message carried by the second data stream using either the
scrambling identity associated with the PCI or a scrambling
identity configured through higher layer signaling.
27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data stream is
orthogonal to the second data stream in the code domain.
28. A user equipment (UE) comprising: a processor; and a
non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming
for execution by the processor, the programming including
instructions to: receive a first data stream over a physical
component carrier and a second data stream over a virtual component
carrier, the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier having the same carrier frequency and the same carrier
bandwidth, the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier belonging to the same component carrier group and being
assigned different carrier indices
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of International
Application PCT/CN2018/086714 filed on May 14, 2018, entitled
"Virtual Carrier and Virtual Connection Aggregation," which claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/506,462 filed on
May 15, 2017, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein as if reproduced in their entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of
wireless network communications, and, in particular embodiments, to
a system and method for virtual carrier and virtual connection
aggregation.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Next-generation wireless networks will need to provide
higher throughput to support greater numbers of subscribers as well
as applications requiring high data rates, such as video,
high-definition images, and the like. Various techniques are
available to increase the overall throughput provided to mobile
devices in a wireless network. For example, carrier aggregation and
dual connectivity techniques transmit data to a user equipment (UE)
over multiple component carriers at the same time, thereby
increasing the bandwidth available to the UE. In addition, one
component carrier is also associated with one cell or serving cell
with specific cell ID and carrier frequency in LTE. Generally, one
component carrier with specific cell ID and specific carrier
frequency can also be regarded as one physical component carrier.
Moreover, each physical component carrier can be associated with
one primary cell (PCell) or secondary cell (SCell).
[0004] The difference between carrier aggregation and dual
connectivity lies primarily in the degree to which data
transmissions over the component carriers are synchronized and/or
coordinated. Carrier aggregation is typically used when a single
transmit point is transmitting data over the aggregated carriers,
or otherwise when multiple transmit points connected by a
low-latency backhaul link (e.g., a near ideal backhaul link) are
transmitting data streams over the aggregated carriers belonging to
one carrier group (e.g., master cell group, MCG). In contrast, dual
connectivity is typically used when multiple transmit points that
are connected by a higher latency backhaul link (e.g., a non-ideal
backhaul link) are transmitting data streams over the aggregated
carriers belonging to two different carrier groups (e.g., both
master cell group, MCG and secondary cell group, SCG).
SUMMARY
[0005] Example embodiments of the present disclosure which provide
a system and method for virtual carrier and virtual connection
aggregation.
[0006] In accordance with an embodiment, a method for receiving
data is provided. In this example, the method includes receiving a
first data stream over a physical component carrier and a second
data stream over a virtual component carrier. The physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier have the same
carrier frequency and the same carrier bandwidth. The physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier belong to the
same component carrier group and are assigned different carrier
indices.
[0007] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with a common media access control (MAC) sublayer, a common radio
link control (RLC) sublayer, and a common packet data convergence
protocol (PDCP) sublayer.
[0008] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with the same physical cell identifier (PCI).
[0009] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with the same timing advance group (TAG).
[0010] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with the same cyclic prefix (CP) duration.
[0011] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with the same sub-carrier spacing.
[0012] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with the same bandwidth partition.
[0013] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, a frame
communicated over the physical component carrier is aligned in the
time domain with a frame communicated over the virtual component
carrier.
[0014] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, subframes in
the frame communicated over the physical component carrier are
aligned in the time domain with subframes in the frame communicated
over the virtual component carrier, the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier carrying the same number of subframes as
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier, wherein
pairs of subframes, transmitted over the respective physical and
virtual component carriers, that align in the time domain are
associated with the same subframe index.
[0015] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, at least one
of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink
shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH),
and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier has a different
duration than corresponding one of a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a
PUSCH in the frame communicated over the virtual component
carrier.
[0016] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the last
symbol of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the frame
communicated over physical component carrier may not align in the
time domain with the last symbol of a PDCCH in the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier.
[0017] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, at least one
of a first symbol and a last symbol of a physical downlink shared
channel (PDSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier may not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PDSCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
[0018] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, at least one
of a first symbol and a last symbol of a physical uplink control
channel (PUCCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier may not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PUCCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
[0019] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, at least one
of a first symbol and a last symbol of a physical uplink shared
channel (PUSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier may not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PUSCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
[0020] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a common
downlink synchronization channel (SCH).
[0021] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a common
physical broadcast channel (PBCH).
[0022] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a common
search space in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
[0023] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a downlink
control information (DCI) message without blind detection.
[0024] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the DCI
message may indicate a starting or ending symbol location for at
least one of a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a PUSCH in the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier; and the method
may further include determining that the starting or ending symbol
location indicated by the DCI message carried by the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier also indicates a
starting or ending symbol location for at least one of a PDCCH, a
PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a PUSCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier when the starting or ending symbol
location for a corresponding one of the PDCCH, the PDSCH, the
PUCCH, and the PUSCH in the frame communicated over the virtual
component carrier has not been configured via higher layer
signaling.
[0025] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the UE may
not receive an uplink grant for resources in a physical uplink
shared channel (PUSCH) of the frame communicated over the virtual
component carrier.
[0026] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the physical
component carrier may have an associated first maximum number of
HARQ processes, independently of a number of active HARQ processes
in the virtual component carrier, and the virtual component carrier
has an associated second maximum number of HARQ processes,
independently of a number of active HARQ processes in the physical
component carrier.
[0027] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the method
may include transmitting a single physical uplink control channel
(PUCCH) message, the PUCCH message including at least a first HARQ
feedback bit indicating whether a codeword or code block carried by
the first data stream was successfully decoded by the UE, and at
least a second HARQ feedback bit indicating whether a codeword
and/or code block carried by the second data stream was
successfully decoded by the UE.
[0028] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the total
number of HARQ feedback bits in the PUCCH message may be based on a
combined number of codewords and/or code blocks carried by data
streams received over component carriers in a group of component
carriers that includes the physical component carrier and the
virtual component carrier.
[0029] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the total
number of HARQ feedback bits in the PUCCH message may be configured
via higher layer signaling.
[0030] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the PUCCH
resource may be configured by RRC signaling.
[0031] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the method
may further include descrambling a first message carried by the
first data stream according to a scrambling identity associated
with a physical cell identifier (PCI) assigned to the physical
component carrier, and descrambling a second message carried by the
second data stream using either the scrambling identity associated
with the PCI or a scrambling identity configured through higher
layer signaling.
[0032] Optionally, in any of the previous embodiments, the first
data stream is orthogonal to the second data stream in the code
domain.
[0033] An apparatus for performing the above methods is also
provided.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for receiving data
is provided. In this example, the method includes receiving a first
data stream over a physical component carrier and a second data
stream over a virtual component carrier, the physical component
carrier and the virtual component carrier having the same carrier
frequency and the same carrier bandwidth, wherein the physical
component carrier belongs to a different component carrier group
than the virtual component carrier. In one example, the physical
component carrier and the virtual component carrier are associated
with different media access control (MAC) sublayers, and/or
different radio link control (RLC) sublayers, and/or different
packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) sublayers. In the same
example, or another example, the physical component carrier is
associated with a physical component carrier group, and the virtual
component carrier is associated with a virtual component carrier
group. In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another
example, the virtual component carrier group consists of virtual
component carriers. In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or
in another example, the physical component carrier group is
associated with a different cell specific radio network temporary
identity (C-RNTI) than the virtual component carrier group. In any
one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the
physical component carrier group is associated with the same cell
specific radio network temporary identity (C-RNTI) as the virtual
component carrier group. In any one of the above-mentioned
examples, or in another example, a frame communicated over the
physical component carrier is aligned in the time domain with a
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any one
of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, subframes
in the frame communicated over the physical component carrier are
aligned in the time domain with subframes in the frame communicated
over the virtual component carrier, the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier carrying the same number of subframes as
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier, wherein
pairs of subframes, transmitted over the respective physical and
virtual component carriers, that align in the time domain are
associated with the same subframe index. In any one of the
above-mentioned examples, or in another example, at least one of a
physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink
shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH),
and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier has a different
duration than corresponding one of a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a
PUSCH in the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier.
In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example,
a last symbol of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the
frame communicated over physical component carrier does not align
in the time domain with the last symbol of a PDCCH in the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any one of the
above-mentioned examples, or in another example, at least one of a
first symbol and a last symbol of a physical downlink shared
channel (PDSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier does not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PDSCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any
one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, at
least one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a physical uplink
control channel (PUCCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier does not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PUCCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any
one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, at
least one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a physical uplink
shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier does not align in the time domain with a
corresponding one of a first symbol and a last symbol of a PUSCH in
the frame communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any
one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the
frame communicated over the physical component carrier and the
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier share a
common downlink synchronization channel (SCH). In any one of the
above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a common
physical broadcast channel (PBCH). In any one of the
above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier and the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier share a common
search space in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). In any
one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the
frame communicated over the physical component carrier and the
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier share a
downlink control information (DCI) message without blind detection.
In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another example,
the method further includes decoding a downlink control information
(DCI) message carried by the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier, the DCI message indicating a starting or ending
symbol location for at least one of a physical downlink control
channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a
physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and a physical uplink
shared channel (PUSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier, and determining that the starting or ending
symbol location indicated by the DCI message carried by the frame
communicated over the physical component carrier also indicates a
starting or ending symbol location for at least one of a PDCCH, a
PDSCH, a PUCCH, and a PUSCH in the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier when the starting or ending symbol
location for a corresponding one of the PDCCH, the PDSCH, the
PUCCH, and the PUSCH in the frame communicated over the virtual
component carrier has not been configured via higher layer
signaling. In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or in
another example, the UE does not receive an uplink grant for
resources in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) of the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier. In any one of the
above-mentioned examples, or in another example, the physical
component carrier has an associated first maximum number of HARQ
processes, independently of a number of active HARQ processes in
the virtual component carrier, and the virtual component carrier
has an associated second maximum number of HARQ processes,
independently of a number of active HARQ processes in the physical
component carrier. In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or
in another example, the method further includes transmitting a
single physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) message, the PUCCH
message including at least a first HARQ feedback bit indicating
whether a codeword or code block carried by the first data stream
was successfully decoded by the UE, and at least a second HARQ
feedback bit indicating whether a codeword and/or code block
carried by the second data stream was successfully decoded by the
UE. In any one of the above-mentioned examples, or in another
example, one maximum number of HARQ process is associated with the
number of parallel assignment for one unicast data channel which
can be PUSCH or PDSCH. In any one of the above-mentioned examples,
or in another example, one maximum number of HARQ process is
associated with the number of parallel HARQ process assigned for
one unicast data channel which can be PUSCH or PDSCH. The total
number of HARQ feedback bits in the PUCCH message may be based on a
combined number of codewords and/or code blocks carried by data
streams received over component carriers in a group of component
carriers that includes the physical component carrier and the
virtual component carrier. The total number of HARQ feedback bits
in the PUCCH message may be configured via higher layer signaling.
The PUCCH resource may configured by RRC signaling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0035] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a wireless network;
[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a virtual carrier aggregation
transmission scheme;
[0037] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a virtual dual connectivity
transmission scheme;
[0038] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a virtual carrier aggregation and
dual connectivity transmission scheme;
[0039] FIG. 5 is a diagram of frames communicated over physical and
virtual component carriers according to a virtual carrier
aggregation or dual connectivity transmission scheme;
[0040] FIG. 6 is another diagram of frames communicated over
physical and virtual component carriers according to a virtual
carrier aggregation or dual connectivity transmission scheme;
[0041] FIG. 7 is a diagram of a PUCCH message carrying HARQ bits
corresponding to codewords in frames communicated over physical and
virtual component carriers according to a virtual carrier
aggregation or dual connectivity transmission scheme;
[0042] FIGS. 8A-8E are diagrams of embodiment virtual dual carrier
channel configurations;
[0043] FIG. 9 is a diagram of component carrier associated with
different maximum numbers of HARQ processes for different UEs;
[0044] FIG. 10 is a diagram of a mapping between HARQ bits in a
PUCCH message and physical downlink control channels communicated
over different component carriers;
[0045] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an embodiment processing
system for performing methods described herein; and
[0046] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a transceiver adapted to
transmit and receive signaling over a telecommunications network
according to example embodiments described herein.
[0047] Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures
generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated.
The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of
the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0048] The making and using of specific embodiments are discussed
in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that the
claimed concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific
contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely
illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do
not limit the scope of the invention. The terms "component
carrier," "carrier," "aggregated carrier," and "aggregated
component carrier," and "carrier group" are used interchangeably
throughout this disclosure. A component carrier may be associated
with a serving cell; A physical component carrier may be associated
with a primary serving cell (PCell) with one cell ID, and a virtual
component carrier may be associated with a virtual secondary cell
(virtual SCell). A component carrier group may be associated with a
serving cell group. For example, a physical component carrier group
may be associated with a MSG and a virtual component carrier group
may be associated with a virtual SCG.
[0049] As mentioned above, carrier aggregation and dual
connectivity leverage multiple component carriers to increase the
effective bandwidth available to a given UE. Embodiments of this
disclosure extend the concept of carrier aggregation and dual
connectivity by using a physical component carrier and one or more
virtual component carriers from one physical component carrier
group and/or one virtual component carrier group, which have the
same carrier frequency and carrier bandwidth as the physical
component carrier, to transmit data streams to a user equipment.
Data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and
the virtual component carrier(s) may be orthogonal in the time
domain or code domain. Alternatively, data streams communicated
over the physical component carrier and the virtual component
carrier(s) may be non-orthogonal, in which case the UE may need to
decode the respective data streams using non-orthogonal signal
processing techniques.
[0050] In some embodiments, a physical component carrier and a
virtual component carrier in the same component carrier group may
be used to transmit data streams to a UE using a virtual carrier
aggregation scheme. In such embodiments, the physical component
carrier and the virtual component carrier may be assigned different
carrier indices, while being associated with a common media access
control (MAC) sublayer, a common radio link control (RLC) sublayer,
and/or a common packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) sublayer.
Assignments of carrier indices to physical/virtual component
carriers may be a priori information of the UE, or otherwise
communicated via higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling,
etc.). For example, the carrier index to the physical carrier can
be zero and the carrier indices to the virtual carrier can be
configured with a non-zero integer by the higher layer signaling.
In other embodiments, a physical component carrier and a virtual
component carrier, that are in different component carrier groups,
may be used to transmit data streams to a UE using a virtual dual
connectivity scheme. For example, a physical component carrier can
be associated with a physical component carrier group and a virtual
component carrier can be associated with a virtual component
carrier group. In such embodiments, the physical component carrier
and the virtual component carrier may be associated with different
MAC sublayers, different RLC sublayers, and/or different PDCP
sublayers.
[0051] Physical and virtual component carriers that are used to
transmit data streams to a UE in accordance with embodiment virtual
carrier aggregation and/or dual connectivity schemes may be
associated with the same timing advance group (TAG), as well as
have the same cyclic prefix (CP) durations, sub-carrier spacings,
bandwidth partitions, and/or physical cell identifier (PCI). In
some embodiments, frames communicated over physical and virtual
component carriers that are being used for virtual carrier
aggregation and/or dual connectivity may align in the time domain.
In such embodiments, subframes in a frame communicated over the
physical component carrier may be aligned in the time domain with
subframes in a frame communicated over the virtual component
carrier. The respective frames may carry the same number of
subframes. Pairs of subframes, transmitted over the respective
physical and virtual component carriers, that align in the time
domain may be associated with the same subframe index.
[0052] Although frames communicated over respective physical and
virtual component carriers may align in the time domain, individual
channels within those frames may have different durations and/or
different starting and ending symbol locations. By way of example,
a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a frame communicated
over a physical component carrier may have a different duration
than a PDCCH communicated over a corresponding virtual component
carrier. When a channel communicated over a physical component
carrier has a different duration than a corresponding channel
communicated over a virtual component carrier, the last symbol (or
ending symbol location) of the channel communicated over the
physical component carrier may not align in the time domain with
the last symbol (or ending symbol location) of the corresponding
channel communicated over the physical component carrier. As an
extension, subsequent channels in the respective physical and
virtual component carriers may also have misaligned channel
boundaries. For instance, if an ending symbol of a PDCCH
communicated over a physical component carrier is misaligned with
an ending symbol location of a PDCCH communicated over a
corresponding virtual component carrier, then a starting and/or
ending symbol location of a subsequent physical downlink shared
channel (PDSCH) communicated over the physical component carrier
may likewise be misaligned with a starting and/or ending symbol
location of a PDSCH communicated over the corresponding virtual
component carrier. These and other aspects are described in greater
detail below.
[0053] In some embodiments, frames communicated over the physical
component carrier and the frame communicated over the virtual
component carrier share a common downlink synchronization channel
(SCH). In such embodiments, one UE only receive the DL SCH
associated with the physical component carrier. In some embodiments
frame communicated over the physical component carrier and the
frame communicated over the virtual component carrier share a
common physical broadcast channel (PBCH). In such embodiments, a UE
only receives the DL PBCH associated with the physical component
carrier. In some embodiments, the frame communicated over the
physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a common search space in a physical
downlink control channel (PDCCH). In such embodiments, a UE only
monitors the common search space associated with the physical
component carrier. In some embodiments, the frame communicated over
the physical component carrier and the frame communicated over the
virtual component carrier share a common downlink control
information (e.g., for the time unit structure) without blind
detection. In such embodiments, a UE only monitors the common
downlink control information associated with the physical component
carrier wherein time unit can be slot and/or mini-slot and/or
subframe.
[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates a network 100 for communicating data. The
network 100 comprises a transmit/receive point (TRP) no having a
coverage area 101, a plurality of mobile devices 103, and a
backhaul network 104. As shown, the TRP no establishes uplink
(dashed line) and/or downlink (dotted line) connections with the
user equipments (UEs) 101, which serve to carry data from the UEs
to the TRP no and vice-versa. Data carried over the uplink/downlink
connections may include data communicated between the UEs 103, as
well as data communicated to/from a remote-end (not shown) by way
of the backhaul network 104. As used herein, the term "TRP" refers
to any component (or collection of components) configured to
provide wireless access to a network, such as a base station, an
evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB) or a gNB, a macro-cell, a femtocell,
a Wi-Fi access point (AP), or other wirelessly enabled devices.
TRPs may provide wireless access in accordance with one or more
wireless communication protocols, e.g., long term evolution (LTE),
LTE advanced (LTE-A), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi
802.11a/b/g/n/ac, etc. As used herein, the term "UE" refers to any
component (or collection of components) capable of establishing a
wireless connection with a base station, such as a mobile device, a
mobile station (STA), and other wirelessly enabled devices. In some
embodiments, the network 100 may comprise various other wireless
devices, such as relays, low power nodes, etc.
[0055] Aspects of this disclosure provide embodiment virtual
carrier aggregation techniques. FIG. 2 is a diagram of a virtual
carrier aggregation transmission scheme 200. As shown, a TRP 210
transmits data streams to a UE 203 over a physical component
carrier 291 and a virtual component carrier 292 that belong to the
same component carrier group. In this example, the TRP 210 includes
a primary cell (PCell) 211 that transmits a data stream over the
physical component carrier 291 and a virtual secondary cell
(Virtual SCell) 212 that transmits a data stream over the virtual
component carrier 292. A Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ)
entity 221 determines whether codewords (CW) and/or code blocks
(CB) and/or code block groups (CBG) transmitted over the physical
component carrier 291 were successfully decoded by the UE 203, and
the HARQ entity 222 determines whether codewords and/or code blocks
and/or code block groups transmitted over the virtual component
carrier 292 were successfully decoded by the UE 203. At least one
codeword transmitted over the physical component carrier 291 may be
associated with a corresponding one of the HARQ processes 231, and
at least one codeword transmitted over the virtual component
carrier 292 may be associated with a corresponding one of the HARQ
processes 232.
[0056] Aspects of this disclosure also provide embodiment virtual
dual connectivity techniques. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a virtual dual
connectivity transmission scheme 300. As shown, a TRP 310 transmits
a data stream to a UE 303 over a physical component carrier 391,
and a TRP 310 transmits a data stream to the UE 303 over a virtual
component carrier 392, which belongs to a different component
carrier group than the physical component carrier 391. For example,
a physical component carrier may belong to a physical component
carrier group and a virtual component carrier may belong to a
virtual component carrier group. In this example, the TRP 310
includes a primary cell (PCell) 311 that transmits data over the
physical component carrier 391, and a HARQ entity 321 determines
whether codewords and/or code blocks and/or code block groups
transmitted over the over the physical component carrier 391 were
successfully decoded by the UE 303. Similarly, the TRP 350 includes
a virtual secondary cell (virtual SCell) 352 that transmits data
over the virtual component carrier 392, and a HARQ entity 362 that
determines whether codewords and/or code blocks and/or code block
groups transmitted over the over the virtual component carrier 392
were successfully decoded by the UE 303. At least one codeword
transmitted over the physical component carrier 391 may be
associated with a corresponding one of the HARQ processes 331, and
at least one codeword transmitted over the physical component
carrier 392 may be associated with a corresponding one of the HARQ
processes 372.
[0057] The TRP 310 and the TRP 350 may be connected by a backhaul
connection that is incapable of providing sufficient ideal
coordination for conventional, or virtual, carrier aggregation. For
example, a latency associated with signaling communicated over the
backhaul may be such that the backhaul is not capable of supporting
a common MAC, RLC, and/or PDCP sublayer for data transmissions by
the respective TRPs 310, 350.
[0058] In some instances, virtual carrier aggregation and virtual
dual connectivity schemes may be combined to provide additional
simultaneous data channel assignment (e.g., HARQ process
assignment) to a UE. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a virtual carrier
aggregation and dual connectivity transmission scheme 400.
Collectively speaking, the TRPs, 410, 450 collectively transmit
data streams over respective groups of component carriers according
to a virtual dual connectivity scheme. Individually speaking, the
TRP 410 transmits data streams to a UE (not shown) over component
carriers using a primary cell 411 and virtual secondary cells 412,
413, 414 according to a virtual component carrier configuration,
and the TRP 450 transmits data streams to the UE over component
carriers using a virtual primary cell 461 and/or virtual secondary
cells 462, 463, 464 according to a separate virtual component
carrier scheme configuration.
[0059] In particular, the TRP 410 transmits data streams over a
physical component carrier using a primary cell 411, and over
virtual component carriers using virtual secondary cells 412, 413,
414, and primary cell 411 and virtual secondary cells 412, 413, 414
belong to one master cell group (MCG). Likewise, the TRP 450
transmits data streams over a virtual component carrier using a
virtual primary cell 461, and/or over virtual component carriers
using virtual secondary cells 462, 463, 464, and virtual primary
cell 461 and virtual secondary cells 462, 463, 464 belong to one
virtual secondary cell group (virtual SCG).
[0060] Primary cell 411, virtual secondary cells 412, 413, 414,
virtual primary cell 461, and virtual secondary cells 462, 463, 464
share one common time advance group (TAG).
[0061] In one embodiment, the physical component carrier associated
with the primary cell 411 and the virtual component carrier
associated with the virtual secondary cell 412, 413, 414 belong to
a physical component carrier group. The virtual component carrier
associated with the virtual primary cell 461 and the virtual
component carriers associated with the virtual secondary cell 462,
463, 464 belong to a separate virtual component carrier group. As
used herein, the term "physical component carrier group" refers to
a group of component carriers that includes at least one physical
component carrier, and the term "virtual component carrier group"
refers to a group of component carriers that consists of virtual
component carriers.
[0062] In this example, the component carriers associated with the
primary cell 411 and the virtual secondary cells 412, 413, 414
belong to an MCG 447 and the component carriers associated with the
virtual primary cell 461 and the virtual secondary cells 462, 463,
464 belong to a virtual SCG 497. Component carriers associated with
MCG 447 may be associated with a common MAC entity 445, and
component carriers associated with virtual SCG 497 may be
associated with a common MAC entity 495. In some embodiments, the
UE that receives the data streams according to the virtual dual
connectivity scheme may be associated with different cell specific
identifiers (e.g., different cell specific radio network temporary
identifiers (C-RNTIs)) for different component carrier groups 447,
497. For example, one C-RNTI can be configured during a random
access procedure and the other C-RNTI can be configured with RRC
signaling. Alternatively, the UE may be assigned the same cell
specific identifier (e.g., same C-RNTI) in the coverage areas, or
RANs, associated with the respective component carrier groups 447,
497.
[0063] In some embodiments, frames communicated over physical and
virtual component carriers align in the time domain. One or more
channels carried in the frame have different durations such that a
starting or ending symbol of a channel communicated over the
physical component carrier is not aligned in the time domain with a
corresponding channel communicated over the virtual component
carrier. FIG. 5 is a diagram of frames 510, 520 communicated over a
physical component carrier 591 and a virtual component carrier 592
(respectively). In this example, a PDCCH 512 in the frame 510
communicated over the physical component carrier 591 has a shorter
duration than a PDCCH 522 in the frame 520 communicated over the
virtual component carrier 592. As a result, an ending symbol
location of the PDCCH 512 is not aligned in the time domain with an
ending symbol location of the ending symbol location of the PDCCH
522. This may also affect the alignment of subsequent channels in
the respective frames 510, 520. In this example, the starting
and/or ending symbol locations of the PDSCH 514 in the frame 510
communicated over the physical component carrier 591 are not
aligned in the time domain with the corresponding starting and/or
ending symbol locations of the PDSCH 524 in the frame 520
communicated over the physical component carrier 592. A guard
interval may be added to the frame 510 so that the end of the frame
510 aligns with the end of the frame 520. In such embodiments, a
starting or ending symbol location for at least one of a physical
downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared
channel (PDSCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier can be detected by one common downlink control
information without blind detection. A starting or ending symbol
location for at least one of a physical downlink control channel
(PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in the frame
communicated over the virtual component carrier can be configured
by high layer RRC signaling.
[0064] FIG. 6 is a diagram of frames 610, 620 communicated over a
physical component carrier 691 and a virtual component carrier 692
(respectively). Like FIG. 5, a PDCCH 612 in the frame 610
communicated over the physical component carrier 691 has a shorter
duration than a PDCCH 622 in the frame 620 communicated over the
virtual component carrier 692. Additionally, in FIG. 6, each of the
PDSCH 614, the PUCCH 616, and the PUSCH 618 in the frame 610
communicated over the physical component carrier 691 have different
durations than a corresponding one of the PDSCH 624, the PUCCH 626,
and the PUSCH 628 in the frame 620 communicated over the virtual
component carrier 692. Additionally, as a result of the different
channel durations, ending symbol locations of the PDCCH 612, the
PDSCH 614, and the PUCCH 616 are not aligned in the time domain
with ending symbol locations of the PDCCH 622, PDSCH 624, and PUCCH
626 (respectively), and starting symbol locations of the PDSCH 614,
the PUCCH 616, and the PUSCH 618 are not aligned in the time domain
with ending symbol locations of the PDSCH 624, PUCCH 626, and PUSCH
628 (respectively). In such embodiments, a starting or ending
symbol location for at least one of a physical downlink control
channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a
physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a physical uplink
control channel (PUCCH) in the frame communicated over the physical
component carrier can be detected by one common downlink control
information without blind detection. A starting or ending symbol
location for at least one of a physical downlink control channel
(PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a physical
uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a physical uplink control channel
(PUCCH) in the frame communicated over the virtual component
carrier can be configured by high layer RRC signaling. Although
FIG. 6 depicts an example in which each of the PDCCHs 612, 622,
PDSCHs 614, 624, PUCCHs 616, 626, and PUSCHs 618, 628 have
different durations, it should be appreciated other examples are
also possible. By way of example, PDCCHs communicated over physical
and virtual component carriers may have the same duration, and the
PDSCHs, PUCCHs, and/or PUSCHs may have different durations. In some
examples, one or more channels are excluded from the frame
communicated over a virtual component carrier. By way of example, a
virtual component carrier may only carry a PDCCH and PDSCH, in
which case the duration of the PDSCH may be extended to provide
more downlink channel bandwidth.
[0065] In such embodiments, a starting or ending symbol location
for at least one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a
physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink shared
channel (PUSCH) and a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in
the frame communicated over both the physical component carrier and
the physical component carrier can be the same, and can be detected
by one common downlink control information without blind detection
if there is no specific configuration for a starting or ending
symbol location for at least one of a physical downlink control
channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a
physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a physical uplink
control channel (PUCCH) in the frame communicated over the virtual
component carrier.
[0066] In some embodiments, a single PUCCH message may carry HARQ
indication bits for codewords and/or code blocks and/or code block
groups in frames communicated over both physical and virtual
component carriers. FIG. 7 is a diagram of PUCCH message 780
carrying HARQ bits 782, 784, 786 that correspond to codewords
communicated over physical and virtual component carriers. In
particular, the HARQ bits 782, 784 indicate whether codewords 712,
714 (respectively) in a PDSCH 710 communicated over a physical
component carrier 791 were successfully decoded by a UE. The HARQ
bit 786 indicates whether a codewords 726 in a PDSCH 720
communicated over a virtual component carrier 792 were successfully
decoded by the UE.
[0067] In embodiment virtual dual connectivity schemes, virtual and
physical component carriers may have different high layer
association configurations. FIGS. 8A-8F are diagrams of different
virtual dual carrier high layer association configurations. In
particular, FIG. 8A depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have separate MAC, RLC, and PDCP sublayers on the
network-side and UE-side of the wireless links.
[0068] FIG. 8B depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have a common physical sublayer on the UE-side of the
wireless links, but have separate MAC, RLC, and PDCP sublayers on
the network-side of the wireless links.
[0069] FIG. 8C depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have a common PDPC sublayer on both the UE-side and
network-side of the wireless links, but have separate MAC and RLC
sublayers on the network-side of the wireless links.
[0070] FIG. 8D depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have a common PDPC sublayer on both the UE-side and the
network-side of the wireless links, and separate MAC and RLC
sublayers on both the UE-side and the network-side of the wireless
links.
[0071] FIG. 8E depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have a common MAC sublayer on the UE-side of the wireless
links, separate PDCP and RLC sublayers on the UE-side of the
wireless links, and separate MAC, RLC, and PDCP sublayers on the
network-side of the wireless links.
[0072] FIG. 8F depicts a virtual dual carrier high layer
association configuration in which different component carrier
groups have a common MAC sublayer, a common PDCP sublayer, and
separate RLC sublayers on the UE-side of the wireless links, and a
common PDCP sublayer, as well as MAC, and RLC, sublayers, on the
network-side of the wireless links.
[0073] In some embodiments, for one physical component carrier or
one virtual component carrier, more than one HARQ processes can be
simultaneously assigned by multiple assignments (e.g. PDCCH) for
one unicast channel (e.g. PUSCH or PDSCH) within one time unit
which can be one of slot, mini-slot and subframe. In such
embodiments, for one physical component carrier or one virtual
component carrier, the maximum HARQ process number associated with
multiple HARQ process assignments is different from the maximum
HARQ process number associated with one HARQ process assignment.
FIG. 9 depicts a component carrier associated with a maximum of 16
HARQ processes for a first UE (UE1), and another component carrier
associated with a maximum of 8 HARQ processes for a second UE
(UE2). In this example, UE1 is configured to receive two HARQ
processes for unicast PDSCH or PUSCH via two assignments (PDCCH1
and PDCCH2) and UE2 is configured to receive one HARQ processes for
unicast PDSCH or PUSCH via one assignment (PDCCH1). For each UE,
the maximum HARQ process number associated with one component
carrier can be configured via explicit control signaling or derived
from the UE-specific information via N.times.M, e.g., a number N of
HARQ process assignments (e.g., received over one or multiple PDCCH
channel) for unicast PDSCH or PUSCH within one time unit and
initial maximum HARQ process number M. M can be predefined or
configured with broadcasting channel for one component carrier, and
N can be UE-specifically configured with high layer RRC
signaling.
[0074] In some embodiments, one PUCCH resource will be used to
transmit a combined HARQ feedback message, which may include HARQ
bits associated with each codeword, code block, and/or code block
group received over component carriers in a component carrier group
or in a set of component carrier groups associated with a given UE.
In such embodiments, the total number of HARQ feedback may be
determined by at least one of the number of component carrier
numbers, the semi-static configured number of codewords and/or code
blocks and/or code block groups. One HARQ bit is associated with
one codeword, or one code block, or one code block group. For the
example of HARQ feedback, each component carrier (associated with
each PDCCH and each TRP) will independently and dynamically
schedule the CW number according to the traffic buffer. For the
first time, PDCCH1 schedules one CW and PDCCH2 schedules one CW,
the at least 2 bit should be feedback to network side. For the
second time, PDCCH1 schedules one CW and PDCCH2 has no scheduling,
then at least 1 bit should be feedback to network side.
[0075] However, this combined HARQ feedback should be known to TRPs
without ideal coordination. This means TRP1 (physical carrier)
doesn't know how many CW will be scheduled by TRP2 (virtual
carrier). If the combined HARQ feedback bit number is based on the
dynamic detection, both TRP1 and TRP2 don't know the exact the
dynamic feedback bit number and will fail the detection. So they
should make a long-term or semi-static coordination for the
feedback number for each carrier. Even during each scheduling,
scheduling number of CW can be different, however feedback number
should be definite. Then the high layer signaling should indicate
the semi-static CW number and/or CB number and/or CBG number. Then
the total feedback number can be determined based on the component
number and associated semi-static CW/CB/CBG number. Note that, the
dynamic scheduling of CW/CB/CBG will not be larger than the
semi-static number. FIG. 10 is a diagram of a mapping between HARQ
bits in a PUCCH message and physical downlink control channels
communicated over different component carriers.
[0076] In some embodiments, for transmitting one combined HARQ
feedback associated with both physical component carrier and
virtual physical component carrier which can be from same and
different component carrier group, one PUCCH resource can be
semi-statically configured to the UE.
[0077] In some embodiments, the combined HARQ feedback should be
based over the specific ordering and mapping rules for all HARQ
feedback bits.
[0078] For all HARQ feedback bits corresponding to different
component carrier groups, HARQ feedback bits corresponding to
physical component carrier group or component carrier group
associated with lower group indices precede HARQ feedback bits
corresponding to virtual component carrier groups or component
carrier groups associated with higher group indices, the physical
component carrier group including at least one physical component
carrier, and the virtual component carrier group consisting of
virtual component carriers; For HARQ feedback bits corresponding to
one component carrier group, HARQ feedback bits corresponding to
component carrier associated with lower carrier indices precede
HARQ feedback bits corresponding to component carriers associated
with higher carrier indices in the given component carrier group;
and/or HARQ feedback bits corresponding physical component carrier
precede HARQ feedback bits corresponding to virtual component
carriers in the given component carrier group. Table 1 includes
rules for HARQ feedback bit concatenation in virtual dual
connectivity schemes with indices for different component carrier
groups, component carrier, codewords, and codeblocks.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 HARQ feedback bit concatenation (more than
one component carrier group) Component carrier group1 Component
carrier group 2 Component carrier 1 Component carrier 2 Component
carrier 1 Component carrier 2 Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/
Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/ code block 1 code
block 2 code block 1 code block 2 code block 1 code block 2 code
block 1 code block 2
[0079] For HARQ feedback bits corresponding to one component
carrier, HARQ feedback bits corresponding to codewords associated
with lower codeword indices in a given component carrier precede
HARQ feedback bits corresponding to codewords associated with
higher codeword indices in the given component carrier. For HARQ
feedback bits corresponding to one codeword, HARQ feedback bits
corresponding to code blocks and/or code block groups associated
with lower code block and/or code block group indices in a given
codeword precede HARQ feedback bits corresponding to code blocks
and/or code block groups associated with higher code block and/or
code block group indices in the given codeword. Table 2 includes
rules for HARQ feedback bit concatenation in virtual carrier
aggregation with indices for different component carriers,
codewords, and code blocks.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 HARQ feedback bit concatenation (one
component carrier group) Component carrier 1 Component carrier 2
Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/ Codeword/ code block 1 code block 2
code block 1 code block 2
[0080] FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment
processing system 1100 for performing methods described herein,
which may be installed in a host device. As shown, the processing
system 1100 includes a processor 1104, a memory 1106, and
interfaces 1110-1114, which may (or may not) be arranged as shown
in FIG. 11. The processor 1104 may be any component or collection
of components adapted to perform computations and/or other
processing related tasks, and the memory 1106 may be any component
or collection of components adapted to store programming and/or
instructions for execution by the processor 1104. In an embodiment,
the memory 1106 includes a non-transitory computer readable medium.
The interfaces 1110, 1112, 1114 may be any component or collection
of components that allow the processing system 1100 to communicate
with other devices/components and/or a user. For example, one or
more of the interfaces 1110, 1112, 1114 may be adapted to
communicate data, control, or management messages from the
processor 1104 to applications installed on the host device and/or
a remote device. As another example, one or more of the interfaces
1110, 1112, 1114 may be adapted to allow a user or user device
(e.g., personal computer (PC), etc.) to interact/communicate with
the processing system 1100. The processing system 1100 may include
additional components not depicted in FIG. 11, such as long term
storage (e.g., non-volatile memory, etc.).
[0081] In some embodiments, the processing system 1100 is included
in a network device that is accessing, or part otherwise of, a
telecommunications network. In one example, the processing system
1100 is in a network-side device in a wireless or wireline
telecommunications network, such as a base station, a relay
station, a scheduler, a controller, a gateway, a router, an
applications server, or any other device in the telecommunications
network. In other embodiments, the processing system 1100 is in a
user-side device accessing a wireless or wireline
telecommunications network, such as a mobile station, a user
equipment (UE), a personal computer (PC), a tablet, a wearable
communications device (e.g., a smartwatch, etc.), or any other
device adapted to access a telecommunications network.
[0082] In some embodiments, one or more of the interfaces 1110,
1112, 1114 connects the processing system 1100 to a transceiver
adapted to transmit and receive signaling over the
telecommunications network. FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of
a transceiver 1200 adapted to transmit and receive signaling over a
telecommunications network. The transceiver 1200 may be installed
in a host device. As shown, the transceiver 1200 comprises a
network-side interface 1202, a coupler 1204, a transmitter 1206, a
receiver 1208, a signal processor 1210, and a device-side interface
1212. The network-side interface 1202 may include any component or
collection of components adapted to transmit or receive signaling
over a wireless or wireline telecommunications network. The coupler
1204 may include any component or collection of components adapted
to facilitate bi-directional communication over the network-side
interface 1202. The transmitter 1206 may include any component or
collection of components (e.g., up-converter, power amplifier,
etc.) adapted to convert a baseband signal into a modulated carrier
signal suitable for transmission over the network-side interface
1202. The receiver 1208 may include any component or collection of
components (e.g., down-converter, low noise amplifier, etc.)
adapted to convert a carrier signal received over the network-side
interface 1202 into a baseband signal. The signal processor 1210
may include any component or collection of components adapted to
convert a baseband signal into a data signal suitable for
communication over the device-side interface(s) 1212, or
vice-versa. The device-side interface(s) 1212 may include any
component or collection of components adapted to communicate
data-signals between the signal processor 1210 and components
within the host device (e.g., the processing system 1100, local
area network (LAN) ports, etc.).
[0083] The transceiver 1200 may transmit and receive signaling over
any type of communications medium. In some embodiments, the
transceiver 1200 transmits and receives signaling over a wireless
medium. For example, the transceiver 1200 may be a wireless
transceiver adapted to communicate in accordance with a wireless
telecommunications protocol, such as a cellular protocol (e.g.,
long-term evolution (LTE), etc.), a wireless local area network
(WLAN) protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.), or any other type of wireless
protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), etc.).
In such embodiments, the network-side interface 1202 comprises one
or more antenna/radiating elements. For example, the network-side
interface 1202 may include a single antenna, multiple separate
antennas, or a multi-antenna array configured for multi-layer
communication, e.g., single input multiple output (SIMO), multiple
input single output (MISO), multiple input multiple output (MIMO),
etc. In other embodiments, the transceiver 1200 transmits and
receives signaling over a wireline medium, e.g., twisted-pair
cable, coaxial cable, optical fiber, etc. Specific processing
systems and/or transceivers may utilize all of the components
shown, or only a subset of the components, and levels of
integration may vary from device to device.
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